How to remove AntiSpy Pro or AntiSpyPro (Removal Instructions)
What these programs do: A computer becomes infected with the AntiSpy Pro, or AntiSpyPro, infection when a user installs a Trojan that is masquerading as a video codec required to watch a movie found on a web page. When the Trojan is installed, it will add a Browser Helper Object into Internet Explorer that hijacks searches you make on both Google and Yahoo. These searches will show alerts stating that you are infected and that you should install AntiSpy Pro to remove them. By adding these alerts to the search results of a prominent company they are trying to trick you into feeling that it is the search engine is stating you are infected, when in reality it is the infection installed on your computer. If you click on these alerts you will be brought to the AntiSpy Pro website in the hopes that you will download it.
While infected, you may also receive popups on your computer stating that you are infected or that there is a security problem. When you click on the popup they will also bring you to the AntiSpy Pro site.
If you do install AntiSpy Pro, the program will automatically scan your computer and display legitimate programs as malware. For example, in our test run AntiSpy Pro stated that a component of the Google Toolbar was considered malware. An image of this false positive can be seen below. This software is a scam and you should obviously not purchase it.
A screenshot of the AntiSpy Pro program is shown below.
AntiSpy Pro Screenshot
False positive of Google Toolbar being malware
Please follow the instructions below to remove AntiSpyPro.
Tools Needed to remove AntiSpy Pro:
None as of yet.
Add/Remove Programs control panel entry:
AntiSpy Pro
Guide Updates: 12/04/07 - Initial guide creation.
Removal Instructions for AntiSpy Pro:
These steps may appear to be long and daunting. They are, though, quite easy to do and consist of so many steps only because I have written them in an extremely detailed manner.
- Print out these instructions as we will need to close every window that
is open later in the fix.
- Click on the Start Menu button.
- Click on the Control Panel option.
- Double-click on the Add or Remove Programs icon.
- Find the entry for AntiSpy Pro
and double-click on it to uninstall the program. Follow the prompts to uninstall
the program, but do not allow it to reboot the computer if it asks.
- When it has completed uninstalling you can close Add or Remove Programs
and your Control Panel.
- Next, please reboot your computer into Safe
Mode by doing the following:
- Restart your computer
- After hearing your computer beep once during startup, but before the
Windows icon appears, press F8.
- Instead of Windows loading as normal, a menu should appear
- Select the first option, to run Windows in Safe Mode.
- Login as a user with administrator privileges.
- Restart your computer
- When your computer has started in safe mode, and you see the desktop, continue
with the rest of the instructions.
- Click on the Start button and then select the Run
option.
- In the Open: field type C:\Program Files\
and then press the OK button.
- When the folder appears, if it says These files are hidden,
click on the Show the contents of this folder option.
- When the C:\Program Files\ folder opens, look through the list of folders
and when you find the folder named AntiSpy Pro left-click
on it once so it becomes highlighted.
- Then hit the Delete button on your keyboard and when it
asks if you are you want to delete the folder, click on the Yes
button with your mouse.
- When the folder is deleted, reboot your computer back to normal mode.
- When your computer has rebooted and you are back at your desktop, download
FixASP.reg
to your desktop by right clicking on the following link and then selecting
Save Link As or Save File as,
depending on your browser.
FixASP.reg Download Link
Confirm that the file FixASP.reg now resides on your desktop as we will need it later.
- Make sure all Windows are closed, including any Internet Explorer Windows,
and that you are just looking at your desktop.
- On your desktop find and double-click on the FixASP.reg
file that you just downloaded. When it asks if you would like to merge the
information, press the Yes button and then the OK
button when it is done.
- Delete the following files and folders (Do
not be concerned if a folder does not exist):
C:\Program Files\AntiSpyPro\
- Reboot your computer for the last time in this guide.
- Once the computer has rebooted we want to perform an online scan with Panda
to find any possible inactive remnants from this infection: Panda
Online
- Once you are on the Panda site click the Scan your PC
button
- A new window will open...click the Check Now button
- Enter your Country
- Enter your State/Province
- Enter your e-mail address and click send
- Select either Home User or Company
- Click the big Scan Now button
- If it wants to install an ActiveX component allow it
- It will start downloading the files it requires for the scan (Note:
It may take a few minutes)
- When download is complete, click on Local Disks to
start the scan
- Once you are on the Panda site click the Scan your PC
button
- When the online scan has been completed, let it remove what it finds, and then you can close Internet Explorer.
Preparation Guide For Use Before Posting A Hijackthis Log
This is a self-help guide. Use at your own risk.
BleepingComputer.com can not be held responsible for problems that may occur by using this information. If you would like help with any of these fixes, you can post a HijackThis log in our HijackThis Logs and Analysis forum.
If you have any questions about this self-help guide then please post those questions in our AntiVirus, Firewall and Privacy Products and Protection Methods forum and someone will help you.
Back to top
